1: a wild rush or flight of frightened animals2: a sudden movement of a crowd of people

How do you use it?

The teacher said, "Class is dismissed," and there was a stampede for the door.

Are you a word wiz?

Which language gave us "stampede"?

A. Middle Dutch

B. Mandarin Chinese

C. Classical Latin

D. American Spanish

If you chose D, you're right! "Stampede" is taken from American Spanish, which is the type of Spanish spoken in the Americas. "Stampede" comes from the American Spanish word "estampida," meaning "crash," itself from the Spanish word "estampar," meaning "to stamp." During the 1700s and 1800s, there was a very strong Spanish influence in the American West, and English took almost hundreds of words from American Spanish, including "canyon," "barbecue," and "stampede."